We love fishing dry flies for trout as much as the next guy (ahem, that means rodents in our neck of the woods), but the fact remains that the a vast majority of a trout’s diet actually exists sub-surface. Therefore, if catching a lot of fish is your prerogative, nymphing is hard to beat.

While our ‘nymphs’ in Western Alaska might look a little different than those used on your local trout stream (salmon flesh and egg imitations as opposed to pheasant tails and copper johns), the techniques used remains the same – Dead drifted flies, drifted on or near the bottom of the river.

Nowadays, when nymphing for trout, many anglers have grown accustomed to using buoyant ‘bobber-style’ strike indicators, and for good reason.. They can be extremely effective! However, on our rivers, sometimes we like the versatility of being able to adjust the depth our fly is fishing throughout the drift, rather than stay suspended at the same depth (as is the case with most traditional indicators). That’s why some of our guides actually prefer to nymph without an indicator altogether. The only problem is, without the visual cue of a strike indicator, subtle strikes can be difficult to detect.

But what if there was a strike indicator that could be fished deep or shallow without ever having to adjust for the given depth? Well, Alaska West guide, Eric Robbins, uses a pretty clever rig to do just that when nymphing up big Kanektok rainbow trout. So, today we thought we’d steal a page out of Eric’s playbook and share his little secret with you.. Sorry Eric.

Palsa Pinch-On Indicators for Alaskan Trout

When chucking heavy flesh or bead rigs, Eric’s go-to strike indicators are Palsa Pinch-On Strike Indicators – Yes, the same light weight, foam, adhesive backed, indicators you might have used on your local spring creek. However, how he rigs them might be a bit different.

On a standard 9 foot leader, one Palsa indicator is pinched on approximately 5-6 feet above the fly. Then, a second indicator is pinched on 12 inches above that. This way, when fishing shallow water, both indicators are able to ride on the surface of the water in typical fashion. However, if your flies drift into a deep pocket (you know, where the big boys are often found), the weight of the fly and/or split shot is able to submerge the indicators (or at least the bottom most indicator), allowing the fly to reach the appropriate depth.. But, because there are two indicators, even when submerged at least one indicator is visible at all times, allowing the strike to be seen regardless of how deep the fly is fished. The indicator never has to be adjusted, meaning more time your fly is in the zone, thus more fish you’re going to catch.. Brilliant.

According to Eric, it’s one deadly way to nymph for trout, and whether fishing in Alaska or on your local trout stream, we suggest you give it a try!

Last month we ran a post on the advantages of nymphing without an indicator. Judging by the number of comments we received, we’re happy to report that nymphing without an indicator is a popular topic! Therefore, today we’re coming at you with a follow up post on how to increase your success when fishing without the indicator.

It’s important to note that when we talk about ‘nymphing,’ we’re generally referring to fishing larger flesh flies or egg patterns. Why? Because in our neck of the woods, big trout love big flies! However, aside from general rigging techniques, most of the tips below can be adapted to fit your home waters as well.

8 Tips for Nymphing Without an Indicator

Lead Your Fly Line. After you have made your cast and mend to provide a drag free drift, position your rod so the rod tip slightly leads the fly line throughout the drift. Doing so results in minimal slack in the fly line and allows for the take to be quickly detected by the rod tip.

Stay Connected. Similar to leading the fly line, proper line management is important when nymphing without an indicator to ensure as little slack as possible. The more slack in the fly line, the more delayed (if at all) the strike will be felt, and the longer it will take to set the hook. Concentrating on staying ‘connected’ to your fly is the key to nymphing without an indicator.

Fish as Short a Line as Possible. Staying connected to your fly is a lot easier said than done. However, as a general rule, fishing as short a line as possible without affecting the drift of your fly will allow you to stay in touch with your fly at all times.

Keep as Much Fly Line off the Surface As Possible. When fishing in close, ‘high sticking’ your fly line off of the surface of the water can be an extremely effective technique. Doing so lifts excess fly line off the water that could otherwise hinder a drag-free drift. However, not all fish are caught within ‘high sticking’ range. Nonetheless, keeping your rod tip elevated throughout the drift can still help to remove slack, provide less line on the water to adversely affect the drift of the fly, and help detect strikes quicker.

Watch For Ques. If there was ever a disadvantage to using an indicator, it would be that the angler often experiences tunnel vision, focusing only on the movement of the indicator. There are many other ques that can indicate a fish has taken the fly. A slight curl of the fly line, a flash in the water, or even a visual take of the fish eating the fly are all ques that can indicate an eat. Concentrate on watching your fly as long as possible before looking for other ques. After all, what’s a better strike indicator than the fly itself!?

Use a Highly Visible Fly Line. Using a highly visible fly line can be a great advantage, particularly in changing light conditions. The tip of the fly line can act similar to a conventional strike indicator, but only if you can see it. Some fly line companies have created specific ‘nymphing’ fly lines with a fluorescent colored tip for exactly this purpose. Some anglers even color the tip of the fly line and/or butt section of the leader with a bright paint or marker to aid in strike detection as well.

Set on Anything. As always when nymphing, setting the hook on anything suspicious will inevitably lead to more fish. This is even more true when fishing without an indicator as there are more ques to look for to indicate a strike. Set the hook on any flash, subtle movement on the fly line, twitch of the rod tip, or any other sixth sense that just felt fishy. After all, hook sets are free, right!?

Keep Your Fly in the Water. Although removing slack for better strike detection is extremely important, don’t be afraid to feed slack out in order to continue a drag free drift, particularly when fishing from a boat. Although you may be ‘out of touch’ from your fly for a brief period, you are far more likely to catch fish by keeping your fly in the water than re-casting. From our experience more fish are caught in the water than the air.

Nymphing can be tough, but considering a large majority of a trout’s diet is found sub-surface, it’s an important tool to have in your arsenal. Strike indicators are all the rage these days, and many anglers find them extremely helpful in detecting the subtle strikes that can be had while dead drifting sub-surface flies.

It’s hard to argue against the effectiveness of strike indicators. They work well and certainly have their place. We also don’t believe in the school of thought that fishing with indicators is ‘bobber fishing’ and not ‘fly fishing.’ What we do believe in is if you’re using a fly rod, it’s fly fishing, and if you’re having a good time, that’s what counts!

With that said, believe it or not there are a number of advantages to nymphing without indicators. In fact, most of our guides (including yours truly), prefer to to fish without indicators the majority of time. Here’s why.

Ability to Adjust Depths. Most of the time when nymphing, it is desirable for your flies to be close to the bottom or tight to structure. When fishing under indicators, your fly is suspended at a consistent depth regardless of changes in structure or river bottom. This isn’t a big deal when wading, as indicators can be adjusted for multiple drifts. However, when fishing from a boat this can cause your fly to ride above those fishy pockets and depressions along the way. Fishing without an indicator allows the angler to constantly maneuver their fly in and out of promising structure much easier.

Lose Less Flies. Even though you can fish deeper, we’ve found anglers tend to lose less flies when fishing without an indicator. Most anglers tend to ignore their surroundings and focus only on the strike indicator. By fishing without one, most anglers tend to recognize more obstructions and are able to pick their fly in and out of potential snags, while keeping the fly in the ‘zone.’

More Fun. Just like swinging flies has an ultimate ‘fun factor.’ Fishing nymphs without an indicator can be a super fun way to fish. A greater concentration is needed allowing you to feel more ‘in touch’ with what you’re fly is doing. Give it a try and you’ll see what we mean.

Easier to Cast. Less ‘stuff’ on your leader generally makes for easier casting, and easier casting usually makes for a more enjoyable day on the water.

Keep the Spawners off the ‘Egg.’ In our neck of the woods, during certain times of year trout, dolly varden, and grayling start to key in many egg-looking strike indicators. It only takes a few hits to the indicator to wonder, “I wonder if they ever even saw my fly?” Fishing without a strike indicator leaves only one meal in the water.. The one with the hook in it.

Ability to ‘Fish’ Your Fly Instead of Staring at an Indicator. If when you’re nymphing you feel like all you’re doing is staring at your indicator, odds are you’re missing out. There are many clues to indicate a fish has taken your fly including visual takes, feeling your fly, or even a subtle flash of color indicating a fish has turned. By honing in on the indicator only, you could be missing out on many other clues to set the hook.

Solid Hook-Ups. When an indicator moves, it is often a delayed indication that a fish has taken the fly, especially if any slack is present in the leader or fly line. On the other hand, when fishing without an indicator, proper line management is needed to keep slack out of the line at all times, leading to quicker hook-sets and more solid hook-ups.

Nymphing without an indicator can be a fun and more effective way to fish than many anglers realize. Is it the most effective method for all scenarios? Probably not, but it certainly has its place. Give it a try and go get ’em!

Its safe to say that ‘thingamabobber style’ strike indicators have taken over today’s nymphing scene. Whether or not you choose to fish under an indicator, its hard to argue their effectiveness. They cast reasonably well, float virtually forever, and are a breeze to attach to any standard leader.

However, a downside to many modern strike indicators is the ugly kink created in the leader when removing or adjusting the indicator to different depths. At $4.95 per tapered leader, this can be a bit of a pain when switching back and forth between nymphs and dry flies, but for most of us, we’ve just learned to deal with it!

That is until the good folks at Rajeff Sports recently introduced us to the new Airlock Strike Indicators. We took them for a test drive this summer at Alaska West, and thought they were pretty slick. We’re not going to get overly ‘techie’ here as the idea is really quite simple.. A modern ‘bobber style’ indicator with a fully adjustable top. Unscrew the top, lay your leader in the groove, and screw down tight. Need to adjust? Loosen the top, slide the indicator to the desired point on the leader, and tighten back down. The indicator never moves and better yet, never kinks your line.. The brilliance is in it’s simplicity. Why didn’t we think of that?

OK, OK! We admit it! Sometimes at Alaska West, we catch kings using something other than a swung fly and a two handed rod.

Now why would we do such a thing? Well, because some of these ‘other’ techniques can be really effective, and more importantly, some of these ‘other’ techniques can be really, really fun.

J.E.B. Hall is one of our resident experts when it comes to fun, and today he tells us all about catching kings under indicators in sloughs. Hot Tip: J.E.B. is a pretty funny guy, so even if you would never stoop so low as to catch a king under an indicator, you might want to read on regardless.

Fly: Marabou Intruder tied on a ⅛-¼ oz. jig head with a 3/0 Gamakatsu #604 hook

Indicator: Large size corky with the mylar wings removed

History

When the Spey Revolution came to Alaska West, it didn’t take long before single handers virtually disappeared from the rod racks of our little green boats during King Salmon season. Two handed rods made casting sinking lines enjoyable and allowed our anglers to cover more river with less effort. While adopting Spey casting from gravel bars as our primary technique for Kings was a no brainer, it did not take into account that sometimes Kings like to take a break and “Slough Up”.

Sloughs

When Kings enter the river, they are swimming hard against a relentless sheet of green water. This upstream progression takes a great deal of
effort, and after a mile or two, some of these fish pull into the mouths of old river channels to rest. We refer to these channels as sloughs.

The Kanektok River has almost as many sloughs as it does gravel bars, giving migrating Kings ample spots to pull over and chill. Some of these sloughs are fairly long and allow Kings to wander far from the main river before reaching a dead end and heading back out.

Sloughed up kings tend to be more grabby than fish on the move. The problem is that a two hander is often too long, and a Spey head is too limited, to offer the right presentation in a slough. Sloughs lack the current needed for a proper swing and the angler becomes responsible for imparting action into the fly. Stripping flies on a light sink tip is a time proven method for resting fish, but is painful to do with a two hander. Single hand rods work better for this situation, but then we come back to over hand casting sinking lines. This is where indicator fishing comes in.

Enter Indicator

Now is probably the point where many of you will stop reading this blog post due to the use of the word ‘indicator’. In certain areas of the country indicator fishing is considered taboo and strictly forbidden. Where I live, deep in the hollers of Southern Appalachia, indicator fishing is perfectly acceptable and even encouraged. If you are still reading, this is where you should tap into your inner redneck. Feel free to get yourself a coldbeer (that’s one word) out of the fridge, eat something deep fried, and put on some pre-1980 country music before continuing on. Now that you are in the right frame of mind, this is how it works.

Rigging

Kings in sloughs mill around at various depths ranging from right on the bottom to as little as a few feet below the surface. Adjustable indicators fished on floating lines allow you to fish all those depths with ease. Thingamabobber style indicators will break your line on big Kings. Do not use this type of indicator.

Instead, take a large Mylar winged Spin and Glo or Corky, and tear the wings off. Thread a 6mm bead onto your leader, followed by the Corky (big side up), and then another 6mm bead. Tie on the “fly” using a no slip loop knot. Slide the beads and indicator up the leader from the fly to the first depth you want to fish.

Below the bottom bead, nail knot a piece of heavy monofilament to the leader, leaving the top tag end long enough to prevent the bead from sliding over. Do the same thing above the top bead. Make sure the nail knots are tight enough to prevent the indicator from sliding freely, but loose enough to adjust the depth without damaging the leader. Now you are ready to fish.

Fishing

Just like nymphing for trout, cast the rig upstream of the Kings and let it drift back through the pod of fish. Often you will see the fish porpoise in the slough, revealing their location. If there is no activity on the surface, fish the deepest part of the slough near the main river. During the drift, give the indicator sharp pops with the rod tip. This action will cause the fly to jig vertically under the indicator.

When the indicator does anything funky, set the hook very hard. Funky behavior includes stopping, wiggling, or going under. Do not wait to set the hook. The movement of the indicator is telling you what just happened, not what is happening. The fish is well on its way to spitting the hook when you see the Corky go out of sight. The tiniest wiggle can turn out to be a 35 pound bruiser after the hook is set, so make sure you treat every take down seriously. It is also not uncommon for anglers to double up in the same 20 feet of water, creating blissful chaos.

If you are planning on coming up to visit us for King Salmon season this summer, remember to pack a beefy single hander and try some indicator fishing. It’s different, fun, and a great way to get in touch with your redneck side. While you probably won’t leave the river wanting to court your cousin, indicator fishing for Kings will certainly cause you to let out a big Yeeeee-Haw!

Tips

Fish an 11 or 12 weight rod. 10 weights can do the job, but heavier sticks make casting large indicators and bulky flies easier. Having a little extra beef when fish run back out into the main current isn’t a bad thing either.

Keep your hooks extremely sharp. The indicator takes some of the force out of the hook set. Having sharp hooks counteracts this loss in power.

Try fishing flies tied on jig heads with super sturdy hooks. The lead head and 90º hook eye angle make for a lively presentation. Standard King patterns will work fine as long as you put a large split shot on the line just above the knot.

Try drifts with and without the popping action. Sometimes dead drifted flies get more eats than ones in motion.

Fat Freddy?!?!?!

Make sure to repeatedly tell all of your two handed purist buddies how many fish you landed at the end of the day.

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